Indicator display transfer circuit



Dec 13, 1955 s. L. BUSH INDICATOR DISPLAY TRANSFER CIRCUIT 3Sheets-Sheet -l Filed Nov. 22, 1952 TO onus ROWS INVENTOR.

GEORGE L. BUSH AITORNEY Dec. 13, 1955 G. L. BUSH 2,727,222

INDICATOR DISPLAY TRANSFER CIRCUIT Filed NOV. 22, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 2 E F163 46:] TO omen ROWS (X) (2) NOTE: REFERENCE I8 APPLIESCOLLECTIVELY TO ALL OUTER RING SEGMENTS.

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: READ P I 2 3 2? 6 s\ g g ENTOR. O co+'o GEORGE L. BUSH 80%0 AQc-I-rOBY 1 37 ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1955 G. 1.. BUSH 2,727,222

INDICATOR DISPLAY TRANSFER CIRCULL Filed Nov. 22, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

GEORGE L. BUSH AT'I 'ORNEY United States Patent 3.727.222 INDIEATORDISPLAY TRANSFER CIRCUIT George L. Bush, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to ThTel et tet Corp ra o New Yo k, N.- t. a someti D a are Appli ationNovember 22, 1952, Serial No. 322,085 19 Claims 49-.154)

This invention relates to a circuit arrangement for controlling aplurality of indicator and particularly for transferring a givencharacter display from one to another unit. "The initial setor postingof any of the indicator units is an operation which is also provided orunder remote control.

In carrying out my invention I intend to utilize drumtype indicatorunits such as are also used in large numbers in automatic stockquotation boards and the like. There are several species of indicatorunits, however, some of which are better adapted than others forcarrying out my invention. For my purposes it is essential that acommutator and brush'assernbly be included as a part of the constructionin order that the step-wise operation of setting an indicator may besuitably controlled from a remote point and also that read-out signalsmay be derived from any indicator unit and trans mitted, say, to anotherindicator unit for setting the same to display a like indication.

it is a primary object of my invention to provide a .circuit arrangementfor use inthe control of a plurality .of indicator units, thereby to setand re-set the same, .to :blank out their indications, and to cause agiven set- .tiug to he read out from .one indicator and duplicated onanother indicator.

Another object is to provide a relay circuit arrangereference heing had.to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. :1 shows a circuitarrangement of one form which is adapted to utilize .6-element safetycode signals for setting the indicator units. Fig. 2 shows a modifiedcircuit arrangement wherein suitable means are provided for use incombination with indicator units which are settable in response topulses transmitted over an individually selected one out of elevensignaling conductors. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a com-.mutator-and-brush arrangement the use of which is preferred when theindicator units are to be made responsive .;to Z-element permutationsofao-element code. Fig. .4 shows diagrammatically a commutator-aud-brusharrangement which is useful in combination with a 5-ele- .ment code,wherein different Z-element permutations are used to obtaincorresponding selections of an indicator unit setting. Fig. 5 showsstill another form of commutator-and-brush arrangement for use with anll-posilion indicator drum, individual settings of which are to beobtained 'by single selection of one out of eleven signal conductors ofthe control circuit arrangement. Fig. -6 shows a locking circuit detailwhich may be-usedfor automatically restoring the system to normal aftercompletion of a posting operation. Figs. 7 and 8 are schematic wiringdiagrams of the follow-up circuits of the indicators for the 2-out-of-6and 2 out-of-5 codes utilized with the commutator-and-brush arrangementsof Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. v V

Signaling codes of the 6-element and 5-element species have beendescribed in a co-pending application filed as joint inventors by JohnW. Cornw ell 'and myself, Ser. No. 299,706 dated July 18, 1952 andassigned to the assignee of the instant application. That case wasentitled Indicator Device'and Analogue Computer Gircuit. The safetycodes described therein are preferable for use in connection with thepresent invention because each selection of an indicator displayposition is obtainable by a choice of two out of six or two out of finesignaling conductors in the circuit arrangement. i do not wish, however,to be limited to the use of the paired circuit permutations forselection of the difiierent indicator display positions, since,according to the modified circuit of Fig. 2 a selection can be had whenone out of eleven signaling conductors is chosen. W

The eci 01 in enti n wh h ut li two .Qw f i e r a eo in t e a! ehrmfl tke e t qti ly Z9 t in th sele iv e ti Qf a llr q t i"!- de ler 1 i iReferring first to Fig. 1 I Show therein an indicator display panelhaying three vertical columns of indicator units 1, 2 and 3 withlettered sub-scripts to designate i15 oupin n h rizon al rows. Eachhorizontal row may be designated according to the category ofinformation which it displays. In different vertical columns the g n termay ICPIEsBut, for example, the several denominational orders of plural,digit numbers, such as hund eds te s an un t of the blocl; diagrams 1,2 and 3 contains a circle W iPP tsn esents t e in i at r r n magnetwhich is ,gperative to drive a ratchet-and-pawl mechanism for rotatingthe The indicator structure will be undqstood to be conventional. Forthis reason it appears unnecessary to delineate it for-the instantdisclosure. 'l": e ratchet; and -pawl mechanism operates stepwise inreons e to pulse-actuation of the magnet .4, there beinga retractiyespring to return the pawl to its normal position upon cessation of .themagnetizing pulse. Rotation .of the indica or drum occurs during theretractive stroke. This node ,of operation is essential, since .thebrush arrangement (hereinafter described) is attached .to and rotateswith the drum and sweeps over commutatorsegmerits in search of a controlsignal whereby the flow of pulses to the stepping magnet is cut ofi. Thebrush must not be swept onto a live segment except during a spaceinterval following a stepping pulse. '7 i As explained in theaforementioned co-pending application of Bush and Cornwell, ten oreleven characters are delineated on the periphery of each Y Thesechareaters pe si hr e h a new i the e n o h nd e t il th s naling 951 if saal' s e si t e i n fieene yn w e e n th ie l i d signat on p an two@94 elem nt wh n dde 1 et i a e ea n P? th Hu te 19 be disp a e e ndicaes this such nume a na b a 'vi en the nriphcry of the druinin thefollowing order, 1, 7, a, o, 19, 6, Blank, 4, Other sequences of thenumerals are also possible, atcordigng to the a ementionedcopendingapplication, assuming that the indicator units have elevendisplay positions and a o t t -ambush att tsmsnt'ew a Sh w n Fi '3 isused. The showing of Fig. 3 audits mode of titil tionismorefullydescribed in said co-pending applic on.

ln-the commutator of Fig. 3 it will 'betliat three of the segments aredimensioned each to subtend substantially of the circumference and theremaining four segments are dimensioned each to subtend substantially ofthe circumference. In the short segment group the outermost segments areinterconnected. The remaining five segments of the commutator haveindividual connections to separate conductors in signaling cables 5, 6or 7. In each vertical column of indicator units corresponding segmentsof their commutators are interconnected. Any desired number ofhorizontal rows of indicators may be provided. For example, as shown bythe keys A to F inclusive in the keyset 8, selective means are providedfor directing the efiects of the indicator control signals into any oneof six horizontal rows of indicators, rows D, E and F being assumed tobe disposed above rows A, B, and C, although not shown.

Each of the cables 5, 6 and 7 is extended to digit representing keystrips in the keyset 8, there being a separate key-strip comprisingeleven keys associated with each cable. permutatively two of the sixconductors in one of the cables in order to compose a 2-element signalfor con trolling the position at which a connected indicator is to beset. The method of control will be described hereinafter.

Only when posting new items in any of the indicators is it necessary touse the numerical key-strip keys in the keyset 8. Therefore, I haveprovided gang-relays 9, 10 and 11 which are to be operated when makingpostings from the keyset and are to maintain normally open-circuitconditions between the key-strips and the cables 5, 6 and 7 at othertimes. In these gang relays six individual connections are madecorresponding with the six conductors of each cable. A seventh circuitclosure is also provided for transmitting stepping pulses to anystepping magnet of a selected indicator.

Each horizontal row of indicators is conditioned for obtaining aread-out of their settings by means of a gang relay such as relays RA,RB, and R0. The contact pairs on these relays interconnect conductors 12and 13 when the relay operates, these conductors being connectedrespectively to inner-ring segments 14 and 15 of a commutator on a givenindicator unit. Fig. 3 shows the com- -mutator-and-brush arrangement nowbeing described.

Brushes 16 and 17 have diametrically opposed points of contact with thesegments 15 and 16, so as to transfer their connections with thesemi-circular inner-ring segments simultaneously when rotating with theindicator drum. These brushes, moreover, have contact leaves forengagement with the outer-ring segments 18 and so designed that brush 17trails brush 16 by 7 of the circumference in sweeping over segments 18.

The circuit arrangement and commutatorbrush structure as described inthe preceding paragraph is such that for each setting of an indicatorunit its character display can be denoted by an exclusive choice of twoconductors out of the six conductors in cable 5, for example, wherethese conductors are interconnected through to two segments 18 on whichbrushes 16 and 17 rest, and through conductors 12 and 13 which areinterconnected by closure of relay Rc, for example. Since the cables 5,6 and 7 have branches, as heretofore described, which interconnectcorresponding segments 18 in all the indicator units of a given verticalcolumn, it will be seen that in order to utilize a read-out signal asderived in the manner above described and to duplicate the posting of anitem display on some other indicator unit it becomes necessary tocomplete the ticular row wherein a posting is to be made being selectedThe function of each key is to interconnect by operation of its gangrelay PA, PB, or Pc. For each of the indicator units in a givenhorizontal row there are three pairs of make contacts 19, 20 and 21. Themovable contacts of these pairs are connected respectively with busconductors 22, 23 and 24. The front contacts of the same pairs are usedto make connections thus, from a stepping magnet 4 to bus conductor 22,and from innerring commutator segments 14 and 15 and through .relaycontacts 20 and 21 respectively to bus conductors 23 and 24. v

The potential source or battery 25 is grounded at one pole and at theother it has a plurality of feeder circuits. One of these circuits isextended to a circuit interrupter 27 which may, conventionally, be motordriven in any suitable manner, not shown. The battery 25 and circuitinterrupter 27 in combination constitute a source of stepping pulses forany selected ones of the stepping magnets 4 of the indicator units.'These pulses are carried through different branch circuits as closedselectively for operation of the posting means, depending upon theposting requirements and the source of the signals used to control thesetting of an indicator.

Three alternative posting requirements are met as follows: (a) Theinformation is initially set up on the keystrips of the keyset 8, theindividual keys being labeled 0, l, 2, 9, and X. As briefly mentioned inthe foregoing description, each of these keys when depressed causes aselected two of the six conductors of cables 5, 6 or 7 to beinterconnected, provided that the associated gang relays 9, 10 and 11,or any of them, are operated. The item to be posted, as determined byfingering the keys, one in each key-strip, and the horizontal rowselection as made by the depression of one of the row-selecting keys,lettered A through F, as shown furthest to the right in the keyset 8 andas headed P for posting,these selection should be made before operatingany of the gang relays 9, 10 and 11. The latter respond to thedepression of individual start keys S, the contacts of which simplyprovide ground connections for the relay circuits where, on the otherterminal of each relay, there is a connection to the ungrounded pole ofthe source 25. Then upon operation of the gang relays 9, 10 and 11, orany of them, the necessary conditions are established for pulsingselected indicators to selected display positions. This operation isfurther explained as follows: Individual conductors in cable 34interconnect different row-selecting relays PA, PB, Po, etc. with thelettered keys in column P of the keyset 8 where the connections aregrounded for relay operation, the relays themselves having batteryconnections through their coils. The pulse generator 27 supplies pulsesthrough contact 33 of any of the operated gang relays 9, 10 and 11 andthence through normally closed contacts of relays 28, 29, 30, or any ofthem, through current limiting resistors 26 to bus conductors 22,through closed contacts 19 of the selected relay of the P-group, andthence to the winding of selected onesof the stepping magnets 4 and toground.

lf the indicator to be made receptive to posting signals did not standpreviously so as to show the same character display as called for by thenew posting, then the stepping pulses will be effective in rotating theindicator drum as far as is necessary to establish a circuit closurethrough the cut-off relay 28, for example. For simplicity of descriptionfurther explanation of the setting operation will be restricted toindicators in the column furthest to the left, these indicatorsdisplaying, possibly, hundreds digits of a number. If it should happenthat the old setting of the indicator and the new posting of the sameare in correspondence, then either there will be no steps to be taken bythe stepping magnet 4 before the cut-off relay 23v operates, or else theindicator drum will be driven through a complete revolution and come torest in position to retain the previous display, with which the newposting is found to correspond. In any case the new posting is arrivedat, whatever is required for response to the setup of the numeral keysof the keyset 8, by continuing the 5 application of stepping pulsesuntil the two brushes 1.6 and 17 come into contact with the particularseg ents 18 which have been electrically interconnected through theclosure of contacts of the selecting signal key and through conductorsof cable 5 with which those particular segments are connected. Thisagreement between code signal conductor selections and resting points ofthe brushes 16 and 17 on segments 18 results in the completion of thecut-off circuit through bus conductor 23 and through the Winding ofrelay 28 to source 25, where this circuit is traced in that directionfrom one of the brushes and in the opposite direction from the other ofthe brushes through conductor 13, contacts 21, conductor 24 and thenceto ground. So when the desired setting of the indica'tor has beenreached the stepping magnet 4 will cease to be supplied with pulses, itscircuit being opened by the cut-ofi relay '28. The start key S can thenbe released, thus restoring the gang relay 9. In order to relieve theoperator of the 'tas'kof holding the start keys S depressed untilcompletion .of a stepping movement by the last of the indicators toarrive at its new posting, it is preferable to incorporate certainlocking circuits into the system. These have not been shown in Fig. 1but could be added thereto partly according to the showing of lockingcircuits for relays 31 and 39 in Fig. 2 and partly according to thelocking circuit detail shown in Fig. 6. A more detailed explanation oflocking circuit techniques will be found in a subsequent part of thisspecification.

The six conductors of any of the cables 5, 6 and 7 havea signal :codesignificance which enables any of the I eleven setting positions of thedrums to be determined merely by permutational interconnection of twoconductorsthrough any one of'the numeral keys of the differentkey-strips. Itwasexplained in the above cited'Cornwell- Bush applicationthat there are severalalternative patterns of 'characters that may besequentially arrayed around the periphery of-the drums, andcorresponding alternatives in the composition of the code elementdesignationsas applied to the six conductors of the signaling cables 5,6 and '7. Preferably these alternative patterns give the'paired'code'elements for each display position an additivesignificance. This is shown, for example, in the following tabulation ofresting points of the two brushes '16 and '17 on different segments '18of the commutator .in relation to the several display positions fordifierent numerals and for the blank position called"X: This tabulationis in conformity with Fig. 7 of the cited Cornwell- Bush application. InFig. 3 of the instant application, however, the commutator segmentswhich are collectively referenced '18 are also referenced by numeralsand X 'parentheticallyenclosed, and in agreement with this tabulation:

Segments Simultan-e ously C on- .taeted'ByBrushes then be according tothe a ov g en desc iption r lating to the Pos i of a y desired d splayhic meets postin r quire e t (11)- O casiona'lly, however, al the indiator units of a sele d horiz nt ow m y need to be blanked in oneoperation. This operation I will designate as posting requirement (17)and Will explain it as follo The Win ng of .a blank ng relay 3.2 has onet rm nal onn ct to b t e y nd t her erm nal may be r ded th ough a irc ileading t h k y which i labeled lank, one contact of this key having aground connection. There are two pairs of contacts "a and b h c a associte ith e h ver ic l w of ndicator n a t a provi e for he ex ension ofthe stepping Pu ses th u h t ma ly c osed o tact of t e chi-ottrelays28, 2 d 0 to bus c nducto s .22 a d th 1cc to any of the steppingmagnets 4 which are selected ,by operation of a given relay P. Contactsb of relay 32 when closed provide for the interconnection of the sametwo conductors in each of cables 5, 6 and 7 which are alsointerconnected by keys X in the key-strips. These .tWo conductors areconnected respectively with corn.- mutator segments (X) and (4) as shownin Fig. 3 It will be apparent, therefore, that by simply depressing theproper row-selecting .key in column P, and their depressing the Blankkey the necessary stepping pulses will be directed into the steppingmagnets .ofall indicators of the selected horizontal row and when theindicators reach ,the blank posit-ion their brushes will contactsimultaneously the segments (X) and (4) nowinterconnccted throughcontacts ,b of relay .32. Hence relays 2,8, 29 and 30 will operate toterminate the stepping of magnets 4 .so as to obtain .the .blankingofthe selected indicators The third posting requirement (c) will now be,explained. :Here the function to he performed involves a read-out fromany selected indicator unit and the use of the read-out signal thusobtained for controlling the posting of another indicator unit so thatthe sameinfgrmation may be simultaneously displayed, atleastmomentarily, in both indicators. Afterwards, if desired, the posting inthe first indicator unit may be replaced .hy va 'new posting, or it may,heblankedout asexplained above.

The operating procedure for posting reguirement (c) has already beenexplained in part, particularly with regard to the selection .of one ofthe readout relays RB, etc. in accordance with the particular horizontal.row from which ,it is desired to obtain the read-out signals. When.oneof theread-out relays is operated its several contact pairs ,arecaused to short-circuit conductors and 13 which are respectivelyconnected to inner ring segmentsl find 15 (Figs. 3 and 7) Thisshorhcircuiting operationis thesame asjf a selected .two of thesignaling conductors in each of cables 5, 6 and 7 were to beshortcircuited. The particular selection of conductors short-circuitedin any case is determined'by the resting points of brushes 16 and 17 onthe outer ring segments .18, since-these resting points are a functionof thechar- .acter display and-are, therefore instrumentalin composingthe read-out signal which is appropriate to .the display position of theindicator. 7

Let it be assumedthat all the indications displayedby indicators-in thebottom row A are to be transferred-to roWC. Then the keyset operatorshould depress ,keyA in the key-strip headed Read and key C in thekey-strip headed P. .Relays ,RA and .Po will-operate sons to prepare for.the transfer of the displays, or, stated more accurately, forthesetting of indicator units in row'p to correspond with the displays ofrow A. In row ,A .the bridging of the brush pairscomposes the pr op ersignal forcausing-the 'terminationofstepping pulses which will bedirected into the steppingmagnets A for iind fihtflr units of-row.C,-these magnets'being selected. by'the'clqsure .of contacts-onrelayPc. Transmission ofqthe pulse train, however, must .await the operationof relay 31 under control of the key labeled Transfer. Relay 31 hasesmany contact pairs as there are indicator units in any horizontal row.Upon operationof relay 31, therefore, the pulse output from theinterrupter 27 is fed simultaneously through the normally closedcontacts of relays 28, 29 and 30 to conductors 22 and thence to each ofthe magnets 4 of row C, relay Po having been operated. Although thesetting operation step-by-step in respect to the several indicator unitswill be initiated simultaneously, the number of steps necessary to bringeach indicator unit into position to make the desired display will vary.So the cut-off relays 28, 29 and 33 will operate at different timesdependent upon the number of steps which the indicator drums of row Cmust take to display the same characters as are displayed in row A. Theresponse in the transfer operation is similar to that which wasexplained above in describing a new posting operation from the keyset.The performance of posting requirement (0) differs from that of postingrequirement (a) only in respect to the source of the posting controlsignals. After all of the indicator units have reached their desiredsettings the row-selecting keys and the transfer key will be releasedand the transferred postings will remain until supplanted by newpostings.

The modification which uses 10-p0siti0n indicator drums Thismodification requires a minimum of explanation in view of the foregoingdescription of the system which uses the ll-position drums. Let it beassumed that Fig. 1 provides a proper showing of a suitable circuitarrangement, allowing for the omission of one of the six conductors ineach of the signaling cables 5, 6 and 7, and allowing also for theelimination of keys X in the numerical key-strips. In other respects thecircuit diagram is entirely suitable for control of ten-positionindicators.

Since there is no blank position on a IO-position drum the key labeledBlank in the keyset 8 might be eliminated as having no useful purpose.If this key were re-labeled 0, however, its utility would be retainedbecause contacts b of relay 32 could be wired to control theinterconnection of two of the live signaling conductors in each of thecables 5, 6 and 7, where the pairs so selected would represent theproper code signal for setting all indicators to the 0 positionsimultaneously.

The above-cited Cornwell-Bush application disclosed several alternativeS-unit codes and correlated arrays of numerical character sequences thatmight be disposed around the peripheries of l0-position drums. I wouldprefer to follow the teachings of that application if a lO-position drumwere to be adopted for carrying out myinvention. Figs. 4 and 8 of theinstant application show a suitable corrnnutator-and-brush arrangementfor use with a S-unit code which would be serviceable in the remotecontrol of Ill-position indicators.

signaling channel for controlling ll-position drums Fig. 2 of theinstant application shows a circuit diagram which possesses sufficientdetail for duly supporting the following explanation of the structureand mode of operation of this modification. Fig. 5 is also referred tofor showing the use of a commutator having eleven outer ring segments 43which are swept over by a single brush 35. This brush also restscontinuously on an unbroken slip ring 36.

In the keyset 37 each of the keys labeled 0, l 9 and X has sole controlof an individual signaling circuit and when depressed it applies groundpotential thereto. The signaling conductors in cable 38 lead from saidkeys to contacts of a gang relay 39 and thence to a bus cable whichcomprises eleven individual conductors that are branched to commutatorsegments 13 in different indicator units 40A, 40B, 400, as shown in Fig.5.

A full panel of indicator units 40 may comprise as many horizontal andvertical rows of such units as are needed to display a desiredtabulation of statistical data or other information. Only one verticalrow is shown in Fig. 2, but, practically, the information to bedisplayed may comprise a number of categories of items concurrentlyshowing in each horizontal row, with, possibly, a plural digit numberrepresenting each item.

The read relays RA, RE, Re, etc. (Fig. 2) are like those of Fig. 1,which have the same reference letters. In this case, however, onecontact of each pair is grounded, and the other contact is connectedthrough conductor 42 to the slip-ring 36 (Fig. 5 The read relays havecontrol circuits extending from battery as directly connected to theirwindings and thence through bus conductors 34 to keys A, B F labeledRead in the keyset 37. Posting relays PA, PB, Po, have similar controlcircuits extending to keys of the keystrip headed P. These postingrelays have two pairs of contacts for each denominational order ofindicators in a given horizontal row.

The contacts of the posting relays PA, PB, etc. comprise only two pairsper vertical row of indicator units. One pair is used to interconnectbus conductor 22 and the stepping magnet 4 which is selected for aposting operation. The other pair interconnects bus conductor 23 and aconductor 42 leading to the slip ring 36 of the unit which is to respondto posting signals.

The pulse generator 27 is fed from source 25. The stepping pulses maythen be transmitted to normally closed contacts b of cut-ofi relay 28via either of two paths. One path is effective when posting an item ofkeyset origin, relay 39 being operated and its pulse feeder contacts bclosed. The other path is effective when transferring an item from oneto another indicator. Then relay 31 is operated by the Transfer key (solabeled) and the stepping pulses are fed through its contacts b to thenormally closed contacts of relay 28.

The stepping pulses are applied through bus conductor 22 and throughclosed contacts of a selected posting relay P to the stepping magnet 4for stepwise rotation of the selected indicator unit.

Assuming that the indicator display is to be changed by a postingoperation either in response to control by the depression of a numericalkey in the keyset or by a read-out from another indicator unit, thestepping pulses will flow from the time they are first applied byoperation of relay 39 or relay 31 and will be terminated only uponoperation of cut-off relay 28.

Relay 28 has a control circuit which may be traced from potential source25 through bus conductor 23 to contacts of an operated P-relay, throughconductor 42, slipring 36, brush 35, one of the segments 43, a conductorin cable 41, and thence via one of two alternative paths to ground, butonly after the brush 35 has scanned its associated segments to find onethat has been grounded. One

, of the grounding paths is provided by grounding a key in the keystripwhich corresponds to the number (or X for blank) to be posted. The othergrounding path is obtained when a read-out relay R is operated. In thiscase there is only one grounded segment 43 in the commutator of theindicator from which the read-out signal is to be derived, because thebrush 35 which is grounded through contacts of the R-relay and conductor42 stands on one segment 43 only, and gives read-out significance to thegrounding of a particular conductor in the signaling cable 41. Thus fora transfer operation the brush of the indicator to be posted must findthat grounded signal conductor during the stepping process. When itdoes, the circuit of the cut-ofi relay will be energized and thestepping pulses will cease. The display now made by the newly postedindicator unit will then be in agreement with that of the unit having agrounded brush.

It was mentioned above that looking circuits might be provided forholding certain relays operated without requiring more than a momentarydepression of the keyset keys. Such locking circuits are illustrated inFigs. 2 and 6. Relay 39 may be considered to have the same 9 function asany of relays 9, 1'0 and 11 in Fig. l. Contact pairs a, :b, b, and 0,have, however, been added. Relay 39 may be energized 'by momentarydepression of start key S and will thereafter be locked up through itscontacts a and the normally closed contacts a of relay 28.

The function and operation of relay 28 has already been described. Relay39 is unlocked upon operating relay 28,

whereat the ground connection through contacts a of relay 28 is broken.

In like manner the relay 10, having supplemental contact a, b and c, asshown in Fig. 6, will be locked upon its selection, and automaticallyunlocked when aposting cycle has been completed. The locking circuitincludes the normally closed grounding contacts a of relay '29. It willbe recalled that after any indicator drum has been stepped to a desirednew position its brush-and-commutator arrangement will be conditioned tosupply operating potential to either of relays 28, 29 or 30.

In the circuit arrangement of Fig. 6 the row-selecting keys Read and Pdo not have the direct ground connections that are shown in Figs. 1 and2, but instead, their common ground lead is carried to ground throughparailel circuits which include contacts c .of relays 39 (r 10, 31, etc.By this circuit arrangement the operation of relays R and P (havingdifferent subscripts for each horizontal row) is deferred until one ofthe start keys S or T is operated to select and operate a relay '9, 10,11, 31 or '32. Furthermore, after any of the latter relays have beenlocked up, they will hold the selected R and P relays operated until theindicator setting steps have been completed. The complete restoration tonormal of all relays will thus follow the final one of the steps takenby the indicator drum for which the greatest number of stepping pulsesis required.

When it is desired to change the settings of all the indicators of aselected horizontal row to agree with corresponding indicators ofanother selected horizontal row, such operation canbe performed in themanner above described, that is, 'by use of a row-selecting key P todesignate the source of the information. Then key T (for transfer) willbe momentarily depressed to operate relay 31. In Figs. 2 and 6 thisrelay is shown to be self-locking. In Fig. 6, however, a supplementaryholding circuit for the row-selecting relays is shown to be undercontrol of relay 31. A similar holding circuit could be operativelyassociated with relay 32 (Fig. l) which is used for blanking.

With regard to'the self-locking feature of relay 31 it will be notedthat its own locking contacts a when closed supply ground potential toone side of the winding in relay 31, the grounding circuit beingbranched through several circuit breaking contacts, such -as contacts 0of relays 28 and 29, which must be concurrently opened in order tounlock this relay. The purpose of this arrangement is to insure that norelays will be released Zhefore all the indicators have reached theirdesired new settings. Each of the relays 28, 29 and operates as soon asthe indicator with which it is associated arrives at its new setting.But the row-selecting relays must be held operated until the final stepis taken by all of the concurrently operated indicators. When therow-selecting relays release, the circuit-opening relays 23, 29 and 30will be de-energized. Then the entire system will be restored to normal.

It may be assumed for purposes of illustration that conventionalmechanical interlock-release latches are built into the key-strips ofthe keysets 8 and 37 and apply both to the numerical keys and therow-selecting keys but are not associated with the start keys S, norwith the transfer key T, nor with the blanking key. The interlockmechanism may be unlatched, if desired by means of a special key (notshown) which, if found on a conventional adding machine, would be knownas an error key.

Summary The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings arebelieved to .be suf'licient to fully disclose the nature of my inventionand several illustrative variants .of its embodiment. Essentially theinvention is directed to novel means for remotely controlling indicatordrums of the character described and for-causing them individually totake up new character display positions in response to code signals astransmitted over selected signaling conductors. The permutativeselection of two out-of six, or two out of five signaling conductors forterminating a stepping operation is disclaimed as a novel feature ofthis invention when segregated apart from other aspects of thedisclosure. This is true for the reason that similar techniques weredisclosed in the above cited Cornwell- Bush application. In thatapplication, however, no means were shown for transferring a characterdisplay from one to another indicator unit by means of an automaticread- 0111.

The several illustrative embodiments of my invention as hereinabovedescribed may suggest other embodiments which would nevertheless comewithin the scope of the invention and might, under the teachings of thisdisclosure, be constructed by those skilled in the art. The scope of theinvention may not, therefore, be limited to the precise constructionsherein shown, but only accordiing to the breadth of definition whichappears in the claims.

I-claim:

:1. In an indicator panel having vertical and horizontal rows ofsettable drum-type indicators, where each indicator unit is equippedwith a commutator-and-brush assembly the .brushes of which rotate withtheir respective drums, apparatus for causing all the indicators in aselected horizontal row to be concurrently re-set so that each indicatorunit will assume a display position corresponding .to that-of anotherindicator unit located in a different selected horizontal row, but inthe same vertical row,.said apparatus comprising step-by-step drivingmechanism .operatively associated with the drum of each indicator :unit,a pulsing circuit for selectively activating said driving mechanisms,said pulsing circuit having branches individual .to each vertical row ofindicators and :being selectively .connectable to said mechanisms in anyhorizontal row the indicators of which are to be reset, means forcausing such connection of the pulsing circuit, means for breaking saidcircuit branches inde' pendently of one another and at different times,and a coincidence circuit control means having a plurality of conductorseach .of which commonly interconnects commutator segments ofcorresponding arcuate position in different indicator units of the samevertical row, the number :of said conductors being less than the numberof display positions of each of said indicator units and said-coincidence control circuit being responsive to paths establishedthrough selected paths of permuted ones of .said conductors, thiscontrol means including a selector relay individual to each horizontalrow for determining a particular row in reference to which a read-out ofdisplay positions of all its indicator units is wanted, the same controlmeans also including circuit connects through brushes and the particularcommutator segments on which the brushes rest, and being operative todetect each coincidence of display positions of selected indicator unitsin the same vertical row and thereat to effect the operation of saidcircuit-breaking means so that the stepping of the indicators to bere-set shall be terminated.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and including a separate sourceof input signals having suitable circuit connections to the conductorsof said coincidence circuit control means, and means operativelyassociated with said signal source for setting up code signalingconditions thereat and for initiating the transmission of pulses throughselected branches of said pulsing circuit, thereby 11 to cause thesimultaneous re-setting of all the indicators in a selected horizontalvrow.

3. The combination according to claim 2 and including locking circuitmeans and automatic release means for the locking circuits therein,whereby an indicator setting operation may be automatically carriedthrough to completion, to be followed by restoration of the entireapparatus to normal.

4. A data posting and transfer system comprising a plurality ofcharacter display indicators of the type having electromagneticallystepwise settable indicator drums, said drums being arranged in aplurality of horizontal and vertical rows in a display panel, acommutator-and-brush assembly operatively associated with eachindicator, the brush portion whereof is rotatable in fixed relation toits respective drum, multiconductor channels individual to each verticalrow of indicators and providing mutual interconnection betweencorresponding commutator segments of said assemblies therein, the numberof conductors in each of said multiconductor channels being less thanthe number of display positions of each indicator, step-by-step drivingmechanism operatively associated with each drum, a pulsing circuit forselectively activating said driving mechanisms, selective means forconditioning said pulsing circuit to act upon one or more of saiddriving means thereby to eifect a desired re-setting operation, acoincidence detector circuit device arranged and adapted to utilizepairs of permuted ones of the conductors in each of said multiconductorchannels for controlling said pulsing circuit in such manner as toeffect the arrest of said driving mechanisms whenever desired newcharacter displays have been obtained, an input signalling devicesuitably connectable to said multiconductor channels, and selectiverelay means operatively associated with the components herein definedand effective to cause any desired re-setting operation to be performedupon'one or a plurality of indicators in a selected horizontal row andin accordance with the functioning of said coincidence detector device,the latter being selectively operable either to compare the displays ofeach indicator as successively reached in a setting operation with acorresponding display concurrently made by another indicator in the samevertical column, or to effect new settings of selected indicators of aselected horizontal row under control of said input signaling device.

5. A system according to claim 4 and further characterized in that saidinput signalling device is of the type I having key-strips individual toeach vertical row of indicators, posting keys and associated controlcircuits for selecting a desired horizontal row of indicators to bereset, keys and associated control circuits for selecting a desiredhorizontal row of indicators from which to obtain a read-out of theirdisplays, and start-keys for initiating a posting operation.

6. A system according to claim 4 and further characterized in that saidinput signalling device includes relay control keys individual todifferent alternative modes of 12 performance of the posting operations,and circuits controlled thereby either for selecting the vertical row orrows of indicators in which postings are to be made, or to cause theblanking of all indicator settings in a selected horizontal row or tosimultaneously re-set all the indicators in a selected horizontal row inaccordance with a read-out of display positions of correspondingindicators in another selected horizontal row.

7. In combination with a plurality of stepwise settable characterdisplay indicators which are arrayed in a row, a pulse-operated actuatorindividual to each indicator for setting the same, an energy source forgenerating pulses to energize said actuators, a coincidence detectorcircuit including a cornmutator-and-brush assembly operativelyassociated with each indicator and a multiconductor channel havingindividual conductors which interconnect corresponding commutatorsegments of said assemblies, the number of conductors in saidmulticonductor channel being less than the number of display positionsof the indicator, said circuit being responsive to paths establishedthrough selected pairs of permuted ones of said individual conductorsand having relay means operable in response to a closed circuitcondition through selected brushes in said assemblies whereby settingmovements supplied by any of said actuators are suitably terminated forcausing a selected indicator to stand in a desired display position, andselective means for causing said detector circuit to compare thesettings of any two indicators of which one remains stationary while theother is being actuated, thereby to effect the operation of said relaymeans when the displays of the two indicators have bee brought intoagreement.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein saidcommutator-and-brush assemblies and said multiconductor channel aresuitably constituted for utilizing permutative code signals and fordirecting any one of said signals serially through two brushes in eachof the selected asset"- blies when coincidence detection is obtained.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said coincidencedetector circuit is arranged and adapted to distinguish betweendifierent permutative selections of two out of six available paths insaid multiconducto channel for transmission of said signal.

10. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said coincidencedetector circuit is arranged and adapted to distinguish betweendifferent permutative selections of two out of five available paths insaid multiconductor channel for transmission of said signal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,096,954 Bellamy et al. Oct. 26, 1937 2,246,449 Marshall et al June 17,1941 2,288,645 Quinby July 7, 1942 2,410,540 Wight et al. Nov. 5, 1956

